Changes in tuberculosis epidemiology, United States, 1993–2017

BACKGROUND: After 20 years of steady decline, the pace of decline of tuberculosis (TB) incidence in the United States has slowed.

METHODS: Trends in TB incidence rates and case counts since 1993 were assessed using national US surveillance data. Patient characteristics reported during 2014–2017 were compared with those for 2010–2013.

RESULTS: TB rates and case counts slowed to an annual decline of respectively 2.2% (95%CI −3.4 to −1.0) and 1.5% (95%CI −2.7 to −0.3) since 2012, with decreases among US-born persons and no change among non-US-born persons. Overall, persons with TB diagnosed during 2014–2017 were older, more likely to have combined pulmonary and extra-pulmonary disease than extra-pulmonary disease alone, more likely to be of non-White race, and less likely to have human immunodeficiency virus infection, or cavitary pulmonary disease. During 2014–2017, non-US-born persons with TB were more likely to have diabetes mellitus, while the US-born were more likely to have smear-positive TB and use non-injecting drugs.

CONCLUSION: Changes in epidemiologic trends are likely to affect TB incidence in the coming decades. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called for increased attention to TB prevention through the detection and treatment of latent tuberculous infection.